A comprehensive process for multi-opportunity, multi-level, team based account planning.

Channel Enablers’ Major Account Planning (MAP) Program focuses on guiding partners’ sales representatives in how to build a team and a plan to develop large enterprise major accounts. More than a training program MAP is an applied program that delivers early tangible results as well as sales person development.

MAP’s focus is on:

1. Account manager leadership
   MAP will help sales professionals to understand and take up their role as leaders of the account team.
2. Tighter functioning of the account team
   An important strategic objective that will lead to closer multi-tier account relationships and greater sales productivity.
3. More effective, pro-active account plans and competitive strategies
   Helping to broaden a sales person’s focus beyond single deals in order to extend the business relationship and deliver true customer value. This results in more competitive, innovative strategies.

A teamwork approach

Today’s large enterprise account demands a coordinated, pro-active approach from a select few chosen partners. As customer organization structures flatten out, end-user executives don’t have time to deal with dozens of sales people. They seek close relationships with a few trusted providers who understand their business and talk in their terms.

Major accounts demand that solution providers develop a coordinated “team” approach, with an account plan focused on delivering customer value. Taking on the role of “Account Director”, a major account sales person’s obligations include leadership of their company and their account team.

Integrating with popular ‘strategic selling’ methodologies

MAP is a planning methodology and process that sits above the level of a single sales opportunity in the planning hierarchy. If your company has standardized on an opportunity management methodology such as Channel Enablers’ MOP-Major Opportunity Process - MAP will encourage its use for major sales opportunities within the large enterprise account.

MAP implementation

MAP Implementation includes the following steps:

1. Analysis of your sales processes, territories and organization structure designed to ensure that MAP fits the way you work with your customers.
2. An initial kick-off workshop to explain MAP’s underlying concepts and train large enterprise account leaders in the use of MAP tools and processes.
3. Before a facilitated MAP session we encourage one-on-one coaching with the account manager. We help them prepare draft goals and objectives, and prepare them to provide leadership to the account team.
4. Two team planning sessions. Facilitated by experienced consultants these sessions combine the outcomes of a smoothly functioning and committed account team with quality plan creation. The first session covers team Goals and Objectives. The second session results in a set of strategies, action plans, resource identification, team meeting matrix, plan review schedule and a communication plan.
5. Account Manager development. Feedback is provided to the account manager or the responsible sales manager. Observations are made on the account manager’s performance as a “team leader” during planning sessions and recommendations are made for further development.
6. A plan review process and review guide. Ensuring that no commitments are swept under the carpet, this review process helps to ensure that plans are implemented and helps the account manager motivate and manage the account team.

Tangible results

Unlike more theoretical forms of training and development, MAP is focused on producing tangible results in major accounts. It can integrate with your existing opportunity management and forecasting processes, and is an applied way of developing sales people and sales teams that will generate fast payback.

MAP uses well proven planning methodologies and a well tested process to generate results. MAP is supported by Channel Enablers consultants, all of whom have many years of hands-on experience in the information technology.